The digital and professional teacher competency standards for blended TVET describe specifically the new and emerging skill development needs related to blended delivery. The standards are contextualised to take into account the technology and capability challenges common in TVET institutes in developing countries, the range of teaching methods…

Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia that is written and edited solely by volunteers who have no qualifying credentials save an internet connection. With over 3.1 million articles in English, Wikipedia is indeed a formidable reference web site. From a research standpoint, Wikipedia is both the sinner and the saint: because anyone can make…

Since the earliest days of the profession, school libraries have been establishing standards and guidelines to guide and shape school library programs. For the most part, the standards have shaped what programs are and what they do. Rarely has a set of standards focused on the content and process of what school libraries teach students. The…

Harnessing student energy for the positive use of technology in the classroom requires significant change for many educators. Students today exhibit a one-click mentality when using computers in the classroom, and are frustrated when they are not provided with instant gratification. Gone are the reading and higher level thinking skills of the pen…

What are other states doing to assess whether K-12 teachers are meeting the technology proficiency standards (NET) outlined by ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education)? What are alternatives to the IC3 test? This question was answered by contacting state leaders and also by finding information on the Internet. Many states have an…

The field of social studies is unique and complex. It is challenged by the differing perspectives related to the definition, goals, content, and purpose of social studies. Contemporary Social Studies: An Essential Reader discusses the contemporary issues surrounding social studies education today. Contemporary Social Studies: An Essential Reader…

Unlike more stable content and goals for other areas of school study, technology continues to change, bringing new goals for how learning should be served by and what students should know about technology. This article examines assessments of computer competence, factors influencing the definition of technology skills, state and district…

Computer literacy is now considered a basic skill as important as the Three R's in Florida, where instructors have been given a legislative mandate to ensure it. A leader in this movement shares the written standards that support this mandate and explains how they were developed. (JN)

Explains the International Computer Driving License (ICDL), an internationally recognized computer literacy training and certification program. Topics include standards, goals, and guidelines that have been developed at national, state, and local levels for elementary, secondary, and higher education; use in business; and the seven modules in the…

Since 2002 the "Zurich E-Learning Certificate" offers lecturers and academic staff from the three main universities in Zurich the possibility to take part in a professional development program which supports the acquirement of eCompetence. The program is the result of a cooperation between the University of Zurich (UZH), the Swiss…

Last year, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) worked to develop and improve teacher skills in the area of educational technology by creating technology performance profiles for teacher preparation. These standards were given to a group of Pennsylvania State University instructional systems graduate students who developed…

Describes the Technology for All Americans Project (TfAAP) of the International Technology Education Association (ITEA). The project's goal was to articulate a vision of what it means to be technologically literate, how this can be achieved at the national level, and why it is important. Discusses technology-education standards and the principles…

The idea of teacher growth and development as a continuum spanning a teaching career guides the National Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education's emerging standards. The 1995 NCATE standards revision emphasizes performance and performance-based assessments, professional collaboration and community, technology, and diversity of curriculum,…

Educators will face a public backlash against educational technology unless they clearly state what K-12 students are to gain from it, ensure teachers are prepared to use it, and document the results. This article discusses the development of a document describing required technology competencies for students and educators, focusing on national…

In a world of continuous change directly related to information technology, it is incumbent on faculty in higher education to share tools and ideas that foster effective teaching and learning experiences for students. This paper discusses four areas which should be addressed when teaching computer literacy: (1) establish computer literacy…